Is there someone that has said or did something that greatly affected you? I have that someone. I have no idea what his name was and nothing else about him other than the story that follows.
It was the summer of 1961. I was a computer programmer in downtown Chicago. I had just worked a 36 hour day fixing a bug in the computer system. It was a typical summer day in Chicago. Hot, muggy and very uncomfortable.
I had left work, got on a crowded elevated train and stood hanging on to a strap dangling from the ceiling for more than half way to my station. As I rode, I was feeling pretty sorry for my self. The previous November my wife had left me and our three children. She had met the man of her dreams. He was a short order cook at a local restaurant. Times were tough for me. I was making under $100 a week and had already gone through a succession of baby sitters. They would start watching the kids and shortly thereafter, disappear. Most left for better paying work.
Consequently, my work schedule was severely affected. My boss was understanding and allowed me flexible hours but made sure I delivered results. Hot, tired, and not looking forward to all the chores waiting for me at home I was depressed. I left the elevated station and began slowly walking to my bus stop.
Everyone was rushing ahead to get to their buses, etc. As they flowed past me, ahead I could see them swerving either left or right past a man I estimated to be in his mid 40’s. Pushing a bicycle, he was just stepping off the curb onto the street. Perhaps he really was using the bicycle as a support because he was severely disabled. His feet were pointed at each other instead of straight ahead and he could not raise them more than an inch or so off the ground. Each step he took was a huge effort.
He had on shoes that looked like heavy duty work boots. He would struggle to lift a foot a bit and forcefully drag that foot over the top of the other foot. Each step required great physical effort. His entire body would shudder with the effort required. The light changed as I reached the curb and I watched as traffic stopped to allow him to finish crossing the street. I noticed several people on the opposite side of the street do the same.
When he reached that sidewalk, he stopped and took a few deep breaths. There was a water fountain on that corner and he took a few more steps to it, took a drink, reached into a pocket, pulled out a handkerchief and soaked it in the fountain. He took the wet handkerchief, wiped his face and neck several times, wet it a last time, wrung it out and carefully laid it in the basket of his bike.
A man on that corner, who also had been watching this, came over to him and said something. I assume he was asking if there was anything he could do to help. The disabled man said something and shook his head in response and began pushing his bike down the street. About this time I had crossed over also and I stood and watched him for several minutes as he continued his weary way.
Then I felt a wave of embarrassment as I recalled my earlier depression. I realized I really had very small problems in comparison. That wonderful man showed me how to live. I will always remember the determination, bravery and heroism he displayed that day.
Life presents each of us with all sorts of obstacles, how we respond to them is a key factor in our lives. We can lie around and fell sorry for ourselves or we can put one foot in front of the other and move forward. He was doing exactly that. From this remarkable experience I also learned that how you live your life will influence other people in ways you can not anticipate or imagine. This hero of mine has absolutely no idea how his actions have affected me and probably others that he passed during his life. I wish I could tell him how important of a person he was.
Dad, I’m so very very very happy that you are writing down your memories and important events of your life… and exploring your other interests like the State of Jefferson. Thank you so much for sharing this story. I try telling it and it never sounds as genuine as when you tell it. I love you!
When I was a young girl, I attended the Joyce Kilmer Elementary school at 6700 N. Greenview, Chicago, Illinois 60626, from kindergarten to third grade. Unfortunately I did not pass first grade the first time I took it. That year, I had a teacher who was hardly at the school and many in that class did not pass to the next grade.
I already lacked assurance in my abilities and was understandably upset that I was held behind.
When I started the new school year I was assigned to Mrs. Posternack. She had flaming red hair, must have been in her thirties or forties and was one of the most compassionate, patient persons I had encountered in my short seven years. Mrs. Posternack would be my teacher for the next two years. With her guidance and patience, I developed the self assurance and tenacity to try new things that I now possess.
During the mid sixties musicals were the height of entertainment in the movie industry. Some favorites were the King and I, Oklahoma, Hello Dolly, and The Sound of Music.
Mrs. Posternack incorporated these into our daily classes, which included the basics of reading, writing and mathematics, art, drawing and music.
Being a natural born spotlight hog Mrs. Posternack used my willingness to perform in front of others to teach me. She had me memorize lyrics to the King and I (I got to play Anna) as well as songs from Hello Dolly; Take me out to the Ballgame and several other songs from other musicals.
What I did not understand then was that memorizing these lines would help me with my class work over the years.
She also insisted that we all learn the poem that was in the auditorium written by Joyce Kilmer, A Tree. For years I could remember the poem - but at times would forget who the poet was.
The one thing I have not forgotten in nearly forty years is the warmth and love this woman gave to all the children in her class. Mrs. Posternack made learning fun and did not make any of us feel as if we were ever being forced to do something we did not want to do. Because class was fun, I never wanted to miss a day. Mrs. Posternack with her red hair, warm smile and hugs always made me feel cared for, energized and wanting to learn something new.
She made each of us feel as if we were important, her favorite and able to do anything she asked of us.
When, it was time for me to go to third grade, I felt lost at first, so I would occasionally sneak over to the first grade room, where she was teaching to catch a glimpse of her and say hi.
Perhaps because of her, I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others. At work I supervise others and at times teach new employees what they will be doing when they are out of class about what the job entails. The biggest joy I get from it is hearing someone say “thank you, I never knew I could do that”, or “I had fun today - I learned a lot”. What they do not realize, is that I get to see my job through their eyes.
The same is true for any child who is learning and discovering their world. If you sit down with them at their level and watch, you can see them figure things out and put solutions together in their heads. It is as if you get to see the world anew, and remember what a huge place it is as well as that anything is possible. Just put one foot in front of the other and stay balanced.
Mrs. Posternack may or may not know how much I appreciated her, and there have been times I wished I could have thanked her personally. She influenced my life in so many ways.